My Turn
Sassounian: Armenians Should Form a United Front Before Any Negotiations With Turkey
My latest column on Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s efforts to initiate a dialog with the Diaspora generated numerous reactions from both Armenians and Turks.
Turkish newspapers, TV stations, and websites gave extensive coverage to Davutoglu’s reported overtures to Armenians. The Turkish media linked the Foreign Minister’s initiative to Armenian plans for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Genocide in 2015.
Armenians posted dozens of comments on websites and
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And instead of asking access to the port of Trabizond ,I would suggest to ask for the return of the armenian provinces of Kars,Ardahan and Artvin. The
Province of Artvin will take us on the black sea and I think this much land
should be enough for us.Lets not demand all of Wilsonian Armenia ,Turkey
will never agree to that. Lets be more logical.
“Should serious negotiations materialize, the joint Armenian delegation could ask Turkey to take the following preliminary actions to show its good faith”
Preliminary Actions?? It seems to me that the list contain items that have nothing to do about AG. Are there even other claims?
“—Compensate all Genocide victims;
—Return all confiscated private and community properties to their Armenian owners;”
Understandable demands…
“—Rebuild and return all religious sites to the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul;
—End Turkey’s official policy of denial of the Armenian Genocide and annul Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code;”
Least important but still somehow understandable. But the Turkish penal code 301 is Turkey’s internal affair.
“—Provide the Republic of Armenia with special access to the Turkish port of Trabzon for commercial purposes;
—Give Armenians visa-free entry to Ararat, Ani, and other Armenian historical sites in Turkey;
—Lift the blockade of Armenia;
—Refrain from all hostile policies directed against Armenia and Artsakh (Karabagh).”
Why? I think these kind of demands just dilute more important claims, and do not have anything to do with AG.
Harut
Okay. I understand what is your demand from Turkey. What are you offering to Turkey in return? If you give back Armenia to Turkey,It won’t be enough to compensate what you are asking for. Do you propose that Armenians work for Turkish owned businesses for free of charge forever?
Sassounian,
Could you kindly explain why any single turk shall accept your “terms”? You have absolutely nothing but a weird arrogance!